1. Technical Field
This invention relates to bookmarks which are removably attachable to a book, more particularly to a decorative, reusable bookmark in the shape of a doll or animal adapted for holding one or more places in a book or other type of text.
2. Background Information
A variety of methods have been used to mark one""s place while reading a book, or to mark frequently used sections in a reference text. These include simply turning down the corner of the desired page in the book, placing a loose slip of paper or a xe2x80x9cstick-onxe2x80x9d note in the appropriate place, leaving a pencil between the pages in the text, or placing a commercially available bookmark in the text. None of these are ideal. It is undesirable to bend the corners of pages, and difficult to find a page with a bent corner in a book, especially where several pages have bent corners. A pencil can also damage a book, and often rolls out of the book so that the page is lost. Flat, commercially available bookmarks are often hard to find when you need them. Slips of paper and commercially available bookmarks are easily lost when they fall out of the book. Many Bibles have colored ribbons sewn at the top of the spine for marking favorite passages, but this adds expense to the cost of a book, and ribbons are not commonly available in books other than Bibles.
The doll bookmark of the present invention is aesthetically pleasing and effective for marking one""s place or places in any book. Designed to resemble a doll, it comes in a variety of styles and has a number of special features. The legs of the doll straddle a book""s cover, while the doll""s strands or braids of hair are used to mark the desired place(s) in the book. This doll bookmark does not bend pages, or easily slip out of a book. It is clipped on the book, so it is not easily lost and can be kept at the ready. It is inexpensive to produce, and can be reused on different books. It can be used on all sorts of texts, including binders, manuals, booklets, and books, including hardbacks and paperbacks. It can also be used for holding signs, recipe cards, flashcards, etc.
The present invention is a reusable decorative bookmark which resembles a small wooden doll with long hair. This doll bookmark includes: a wooden doll-type body with legs and a round head with attached hair or ribbons and other ornamentation. The space between the doll""s base (legs) can be narrowed or widened to accommodate a variety of book cover thicknesses. Using this bookmark, it is easy to return to a previous passage in the same book, or access a desired section of a reference book. Constructed of sturdy materials, the present bookmarks withstand the type of treatment associated with the normal use and transport of books.
Many commercially available bookmarks have prongs which slide over the pages of the book. These slide off the book relatively easily and may tear the pages. A unique feature of the present doll bookmark is that the doll""s legs clip onto a book""s cover and the doll""s hair, or attachments to the doll""s hair, are placed on or between the pages, providing a dual method of securing the bookmark to the book. In addition, the doll bookmark of the present invention is generally larger than most bookmarks and is not as easy to lose.
The doll bookmark is appealing to children, especially young girls, and may arouse their curiosity and elicit greater interest in reading. Because of the availability of a variety of styles and colors, parents and grandparents may choose doll bookmarks which bear some resemblance to their children or grandchildren, thus attracting the child""s attention, increasing their curiosity, and indirectly encouraging the child to read. The doll bookmark could be sold in a kit with books featuring a story about that particular doll. These doll bookmarks can feature particular characters in traditional stories, such as a Cinderella doll bookmark on a Cinderella book, to further encourage fantasy and stimulate the child""s creative imagination. These doll bookmarks may be used to animate and embellish bedtime stories. Doll bookmarks may be used on school books as well and may become a topic of conversation with school friends. The present doll bookmark can be transported with the book to school, on a trip, or to a friend""s house.
The present invention is a bookmark in the shape of a doll or animal, comprised of:
(a) a rounded head portion;
(b) a longitudinally extending body portion attached at an upper end to the head portion, the body portion comprising at least two generally rigid, matching leg portions extending downwardly at a lower end, the leg portions being spaced apart and adapted for placement over the edge of a cover of a book or other text; and
(c) at least one strand of hair-like material, each strand having one end attached to the head portion, the strands being of a length and thickness adapted for placement between two pages of the book to mark one or more pages for future reference.